Penticton

Gold medal game on a snow day

COULD IT BE MORE CANADIAN? THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - You watched them come out on top in every game so far, including a win over the United States on New Year’s Eve, but today, as an unprecedented snow day shuts down schools across the Southern Interior, many of us are preparing to cheer on Team Canada during...

City work crews having a tough time keeping up with snowfall

PENTICTON - The City of Penticton reported this morning crews were being kept busy just keeping main arteries, emergency routes, steep hills and main transit routes open as snow continues to pound the city and region. “Given the significant snowfall, it’s likely crews will have to circle back and do these routes again before moving...

Travel advisories in effect for highways

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Heavy snowfall is limiting visibility on several Interior highways leading Drive B.C. to put out a travel advisory for both Highway 5 and Highway 97C. The Coquihalla Highway between Merritt and Kamloops and the Okanagan Connector both have travel advisories as of 8:30 a.m. Drive B.C. asks travellers to consider alternate plans or...

UPDATE: Buses running in School District 53, late in Penticton, no buses in Summerland

PENTICTON - In case you weren’t aware, the snow has been piling up outside. Heavy snow yesterday and last night has covered the region.  School District 67 reports Penticton buses are running, but they will be late, while Summerland buses will not run this morning. The Summerland bus situation will be reassessed later today. School...

Avalanche risk high in B.C., winter storm warning continues

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A winter storm warning remains in place and avalanche risk has been elevated to high throughout the region, even below treeline levels, and a section of Highway 1 is closed as crews complete avalanche control in the area. Environment Canada continues to issue a winter storm warning for much of the Southern Interior...

Meteors, comets and planets kick off new year

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Night owls and sky lovers get prepared to celebrate the new year in style, between the Comet Lovejoy and the Quadrantid meteor shower will both be visible this weekend. The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak early in the morning of Saturday, Jan. 3, but a nearly full moon and forecasted cloud cover will...

Winter storm developing this weekend

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A winter storm set to hit the Southern Interior by Sunday could bring snowfall in excess of 25 centimetres at highway passes and could see snow turn to freezing rain in town. Friday morning Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for much of the Central and Southern Interior, including the Coquihalla Highway,...

Singing the stories of the Southern Interior

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Our region has long been a destination spot in Canada, and back before the Internet made it easy to share stories and pictures of your travels, music was used to share the beauty of our land. Tourism companies put out records with a single on the region, or even a specific city, while...

Avalanche risk high in North Columbia

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - As the winter break comes to an end, the temperatures are warming up and the snow is ready to fall. You may be thinking about heading out for some winter but be prepared if heading into the backcountry, avalanche risk is considered high in some areas and is at least considerable in most...

See the Thompson-Okanagan like you never have before

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A video posted to YouTube over the weekend gives a truly birds-eye view of some of the most spectacular features of the Thompson-Okanagan. Emile Beaulieu is a Kelowna resident whose passion is paramotoring. Using a parachute and what is essentially a large powered fan strapped to his back, he performs breathtaking fly-bys of...

Hot summer weather just a memory

BUT WILL BE BACK SOONER THAN YOU THINK THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Winter is officially here. Much of the region is covered in snow and Mother Nature decided to plunge us into a deep cold once again. With that in mind we decided to take a look back at just how hot our summer weather was in...

Second round of Ebola tests negative

KELOWNA - A second set of Ebola tests being conducting on an Interior Health nurse practitioner have returned negative, but a third and final test will still need to be done before she is given the all clear. Patrice Gordon returned from helping to treat Ebola patients in Sierra Leone on Christmas Day and it...

Library, pool and arena busy over holidays

PENTICTON - Penticton’s public institutions saw increased usage over the holidays, with the library alone seeing double the usership it normally does on a Monday. Penticton Public Library’s Systems Librarian, Shelley Murphy, said after being closed for four days usership doubled what was usual for a Monday. “It was amazingly busy yesterday. We had line...

UPDATE: Police investigating fire at Pass Motor Inn

PET BELIEVED DEAD IN FIRE PENTICTON - Penticton firefighters battled a blaze that broke out last night at the Pass Motor Inn, located at  2307 Skaha Lake Road. Firefighters were called to the scene at roughly 8:30 p.m., Dec. 30, according to a media release from RCMP. The building was evacuated while firefighters worked to...

Weather warming up for new year

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - We’ll still be facing temperatures below seasonal normals, but it will be several degrees warmer for New Year’s Day than it has been over the past few days in the Southern Interior. According to Environment Canada temperatures will reach a high of between -8 Celsius and -5 C today and by the first...

Avalanche warning extended

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If backcountry play is in your New Year’s plan be prepared, an avalanche warning issued to the public on Christmas Day has been extended to include the Whistler and Pemberton area, and is now in effect until Sunday, Jan. 4. Throughout our region avalanche risk is considered moderate below the treeline but increases...

Team Canada prepares for New Year’s Eve battle

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - On Wednesday afternoon all eyes will be on the World Junior Championship tournament in Montreal as Team Canada takes on Team United States in the final round robin game for the two teams. Canada is 3-0 in the first three games and went 2-1 during exhibition play after an overtime loss to Russia...

UPDATE: Highway 1 near Golden reopens after fatal crash

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - One person is dead and another in critical condition after a serious crash involving two tractor trailers that shut down Highway 1 from Golden to Revelstoke overnight. United Towing was called out to a head-on collision between two semis west of Golden just before 11 p.m. Both units were on fire at the...

Cold weather and wind move in

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Pull the scarves and gloves back out, the cold weather is back and by tonight much of the region will be at least 10 degrees lower than seasonal normals. According to Environment Canada, temperatures will drop to -10 Celsius by this afternoon in Kamloops and winds will increase to 50 gusting to 70...

Arctic air promises frigid temperatures for Thompson-Okanagan

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Its back to winter-like conditions in the Thompson-Okanagan Sunday as Arctic air pushes south dropping temperatures and creating snow. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning temperatures will drop to at least ten degrees below normal for this time of year and dumping large amounts of snow on the mountain passes....

10 activities you can do to meet your daily exercise requirements

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – If your latest exercise is having a Netflix marathon while you wear sweatpants you wouldn't dare to wear in public, you might want to reconsider your options. The number one New Year’s resolution people make (and usually don’t end up following) is to get in shape – New Year, new beginning. Adults should...

Funny stories about drunks from designated drivers

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The holidays are a time to catch up with old friends, spend quality time with family and have a few rum and eggnogs to celebrate. Maybe it’s the cooler weather, the spirit or all the booze we get for gifts – but undoubtedly some of us will get more carried away than others....

Local players ready to represent at World Junior Championship

GET YOUR RED AND WHITE JERSEYS READY THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Four members of Team Canada will be doing their best to represent local hockey at the World Junior Championship in Ontario and Quebec as the tournament officially gets underway on Boxing Day. Ottawa Senator Curtis Lazar, of Vernon, is one of only two current National Hockey...

CHRISTMAS PAST: Memories from our newsroom

Remember the joy in carefully crafting presents in class for your parents? The excitement to see a gift under the tree with your name on it? How about getting dressed up in awful, and often matching outfits to go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for Christmas? At Christmas we often take the time to reminisce...